Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-25

lie party that went ashore had two
days of good weather to search and dig.
Ii was on this island, in 1853 aud
1864. that several mummies, or dried
or frozen bodies OF great auks, the
skeletons being intact in the shrivelled
skins, were found. Mr.. Lucas aud his
party turned up the sod in Different
places and found rich deposits OF aux
bones. The remains OF hundreds OF
great auks were found heaped together
as if an army had feasted on the fowls,
and, having picked the bones clean,
threw them into heap. This is ex-
planned by the fact that the Newfound-
laDders, who appreciated feather-oeds,
used to make expeditions to the island
for feathers. The great auks were
scalded like geese on the spot and
stripped Of their feathers, their de-
nuded bodies being thrown into
heaps. where their bones were
bleached by the suns OF many
years. There is now deposit OF earth
over them. Sometimes their oily
bodies were used as fuel, and the char
red remains OF their bones are found
among the ashes. Funk island is a
lonely spot. Myriads of sos-birds make
their home there, and when an intru-
der comes they rise in q cloud, wailing
in most doleful discord. Seal-hunters
from Newfoundland and adjacent lands
come here in the spring to shoot the
seals that drift down from the Arctic
regions on ice-foes. The Grampus
party found where they were digging
earn or heap OF stones that marked
the lonely grave OF seal-hunter
His comrades had placed his
body in chest and heaped
stones upon the chest. Many of the
skulls and other parts of the great aux
brought home 10y Mr.. Lucas are quite
perfect. He hopes to get out of the
lot a number Of perfect skeletons.
This would seem a hopeless task to any
one but an psychologist. There are
heaps of ribs as fine rs lackstraws,
pecks of vertebre. and great quantities
Of wing-bones, breast-bOnes, lcG-bOnes,
toe bones. wishbOnes, maudi5les, and
other kinds of bones in endless cOnfu-
sion. These will have to be sorted,
and from the best great aux skeletons
will he reared. The remains of Il hun
bred different birds may contribute TO
one complete skeleton.
OTHER TREASURES FOUND.
The Grampus was freightednot alone
with bones Of the great aux. The col
lectors busted themselves in securing
specimens Of all the birds and NAM
mails they could get shot at. Many
skins and skeletons of gulls, ganuets,
ptarmigans, INJURIES, and other feathery
denizens of the Labrador and New
foundlaDd coasts were brought home
by the Jealous hunters. OF these trO-
plies the gaunets, though not uncom-
mon, will probably be most interesting
to the unscientifc visitor to the mu-
scum. These large birds are swift and
mighty on the wing. The gannet
watches for fish like a hawk soaring
over the sea. When il spies fish 1t
darts downward in perpendicular line
swift as IA flash. When within a few
feet of the water it closes its wings and
drops straight as plumb into the water
and seized the luckless fish. This mode OF
catching its prey is taken advantage OF
by fishermen, who have observed the
habits Of the bird. They set a trap
for it, by attaching fish to board or
plank. The gannet has eyes only for
the fish, and, when it spies it, makes
the swift and fierce swOop, straight
downward. II strikes the board with
its head and breaks its neck. The fish
eman then takes it home and has a
sayory roast gannet for dinner. The
ganncts fly over the sea in great flocks,
following shoals Of fish. and their fish
ing is done in an orderly and disci-
plined manner The foremost bird
dives, and, when he comes up, takes
lis place at the rear of the flock aud
gradually works his way to the head
again, like the boy at the foot Of the
spelling class.
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